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Signs It’s Time to Replace or Upgrade Your Turbocharger

January 15, 2026 - By Aliza

Does your turbocharged engine feel weak?

Turbochargers don’t go bad very often. Most of them are designed to last the lifetime of your engine. However…

There’s always a however.

With turbochargers spinning at up to 250,000 RPM and working under extreme conditions…

Failure is always a possibility.

The frustrating thing about turbo issues is they typically don’t announce themselves with flashing lights and sirens.

More often than not, damage is done by the time you realize something is wrong.

Fortunately for you:

If you know what signs and symptoms to look for, you can catch these issues long before they become problematic. Prevent further damage to your engine and save yourself some money in the process.

Below you will learn:

Common Warning Signs Of Turbo Failure
Common Causes Of Turbo Failure
When to repair vs when to replace
How to choose the right replacement turbocharger

Common Warning Signs Of Turbo Failure

You want to know how to tell if your turbocharger is going bad?

Look for these common signs every driver should know…

Loss Of Power

This should be obvious.

Turbochargers give you more power. They force more air into the combustion chamber allowing more fuel to be burned and create more horsepower.

Simple right?

When your turbocharger begins to fail, it can’t force enough air into your engine. Resulting in a loss of power.

You’ll feel a noticeable decrease in acceleration and your engine won’t have the “oomph” it used too.

If your once beastly car now struggles to reach speeds that were easy before, it may be time to check your turbocharger. Learn when to look at Turbochargers for Sale by knowing these symptoms.

Strange Whining Noise

If your turbocharger is operating properly, you shouldn’t hear it.

When they do start making noise, it sounds like a high-pitched dentist drill or police car from far away. As a turbocharger continues to fail, this whining noise will get louder.

What’s causing this noise? More than likely damaged bearings or worn out compressor wheels grinding against the turbo housing.

If you hear this noise, get your turbo checked ASAP.

Excessive Exhaust Smoke

Watch your exhaust.

If you see blue or grey smoke pouring out of your exhaust, it’s likely your turbocharger is leaking oil into the exhaust system.

Your turbo has internal seals that can become damaged and crack allowing engine oil to leak out.

It can also happen if your turbocharger housing becomes damaged.

You will usually see this smoke after revving your engine from an idle.

Odd Check Engine Light

Your engine has a computer for a reason.

When something is amiss with your turbocharger like boost pressure, your engine will let you know with the check engine light.

The check engine light won’t come on solely because your turbo is bad…

But if you see this in conjunction with one of the previous symptoms, something is wrong.

Increased Oil Consumption

Does your engine seem to burn through oil?

Like I mentioned above, a failing turbocharger will often leak oil.

You may begin to see drops of oil under your car or find yourself needing to top off your engine oil more frequently than normal.

Keep an eye on your oil levels. If you use a lot of oil, it’s a sign.

Common Causes Of Turbo Failure

Now that you know how to spot a bad turbocharger…

You may be wondering why turbos even fail in the first place.

Here are the main causes of premature turbo failure…

Oil Contamination

This is the biggest cause of turbo failure.

Garrett Motion says that more than 90% of all turbocharger failures are caused by oil-related problems. Your turbocharger’s shaft spins at insane speeds and relies on a continuous stream of clean, debris free oil to lubricate its moving parts.

If there isn’t enough oil flowing through the turbocharger…

Bad things happen.

Metal will begin to contact the turbocharger’s bearings causing high friction and heat.

These components will quickly wear out and seize up.

Not only does your turbo need enough oil, but it needs clean oil as well. Small particles of dirt can wreak havoc on the turbocharger’s precision bearing systems.

Stick to your recommended oil change intervals and always use quality oil/filter combinations.

Foreign Object Damage

Turbochargers breathe a lot of air.

If foreign objects sneak by your air filter, they can shear off the compressor wheel. The smallest debris can do massive damage to your turbocharger when hitting parts rotating over 200,000 RPM.

It may sound odd, but check your air filter regularly. A new air filter is cheap insurance against unauthorized turbo modifications.

Heat Related

Turbochargers operate under extreme heat.

Shutting off your engine while it’s hot can cause carbon deposits to form on the turbocharger bearings.

Heat can also crack your turbocharger housing and damage internal seals.

Always allow your engine to idle for at least 30 seconds after heavy driving. This allows your turbocharger to cool down.

When To Repair vs Replace

To repair or not to repair. That is the question.

If you’ve done your research and diagnosed your issue, how do you know if you should repair your turbocharger or buy a new one?

Let’s look at a few things to consider…

You Should Consider Repairing Your Turbocharger If:

The issue is minor and localized to damageable parts. Things such as seals and gaskets are typically easy to replace.

However, keep in mind that the turbocharger is only to blame 20% of the time. Many times the real issue lies with your engine’s oil system, fuel system or air intake system.

You Should Consider Replacement If:

Internal damage is too extreme. If your compressor wheel is destroyed, the turbocharger housing is cracked or bearings are damaged.

When looking for a replacement turbocharger, make sure you get the correct turbocharger for your specific engine. Installing the wrong turbocharger can cause many unwanted problems.

You Should Consider Upgrading If:

You’re looking for more power than stock. Aftermarket turbochargers can offer increased boost and horsepower when matched correctly with supporting modifications.

Keep in mind, upgrading your turbocharger will likely cause you to make changes to your fuel system and tuning.

How To Select The Right Turbocharger

Last but not least…

How do you know which turbocharger to buy?

Let’s look at a few things:

Check if OEM or aftermarket. OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. These will be turbochargers that exactly match the specs that came with your vehicle from the factory.

Aftermarket turbochargers can provide more power, but require additional research.

Research brand quality. I can’t stress this enough. Avoid buying cheap turbochargers. Sure they may save you money now, but spend a little more on quality brands that offer great warranties.

Make sure you get the right size turbocharger. A turbocharger that’s too large can cause serious lag. A turbocharger that’s too small won’t give you the power you’re looking for. Ask around or do your research when determining what size turbocharger you need.

Overall Installation Experience

Like any aftermarket part, some companies are better than others.

When looking for that new turbocharger, check and see if they offer an installation guide and/or tech support. This can make your turbo swap a lot easier.

Wrapping It All Up

The moral of the story:

Never ignore these warning signs.

Again, these are the most common signs of turbo failure. Power loss, whining noises, excessive exhaust smoke, check engine lights, and increased oil consumption are your clues that something is wrong.

Fixing these issues early on can save you from having to rebuild or replace your engine in the future.

Just remember…

Most turbo problems are caused by oil. Change your oil on time, use quality oil, and change your oil filters regularly. These few things will greatly increase your turbocharger’s lifespan.

When that day comes and you need to buy a new turbocharger, don’t buy the cheapest one you can find. I can promise you that it will come back to bite you in the end.

A quality built turbocharger that is matched to your engine will perform far better and last longer than a cheap alternative.

Aliza

I’m Aliza, the founder of Urdu Novel Bank. I built this site because I love Urdu stories and want everyone to enjoy them. As an Urdu literature lover, I choose the best novels to share with you. Here you can find free Urdu novels in romance, mystery, thriller and more. Read online or download PDF chapters without signing up. I update the library often so you’ll always have new tales to explore. My goal is to bring Urdu literature to readers around the world.